Black Wedding
by Chiqanti Ceres
Summary: The happiest day of his life turned to be his saddest. His happily ever after slipped through his finger just when he was about to grasp it. Or so he thought.


Jack tightened his tie and checked himself on the mirror. Dressed in his best suit, he showed nothing but nervousness. He wondered if he would be able to stand on the podium for the entire proceeding in front of his families and honored guests.

He turned away from the mirror and exited the waiting room.

…

"It's happening! I can't believe it's actually happening!" Anna squealed through the line and Jack was glad that she wasn't actually in front of him. He wouldn't know what would become of him.

"I don't know what you're so excited about. You should saw it coming ages ago."

"Stop pretending to be so cool about it. You're as excited as I am. I can practically see your nervous smirk." Well, he couldn't deny that. Jack was all jittery and he had checked and rechecked the calendar on the wall to confirm it. "In three days there'll be a Mrs. Frost! Aren't you the luckiest guy ever?"

That he couldn't deny as well.

Jack knew the moment he had lay his eyes on Elsa, he had to marry her. It was just a question of when. And now, after five years working on his courage, and not a few hiccups on the proposal, he was blessed to have her approval. How he wished he could capture her expression when she accepted and framed it on his desk.

"So, how is she doing? Nervous as well?"

"You know how she is."

"Even marriage doesn't break the composure of the Ice Queen, eh?"

"And on the contrary, I feel like a wreck. Can't help but think something will go amiss."

"Oh Jack, everything will be perfect!"

…

He walked down the aisle as eyes turned toward him. Jack tried not to pay it much mind. He feared what those gazes belie. Instead, he focused on reaching the dais where the priest was waiting.

He felt as if his shoes were made of lead and he carried a thousand rocks, so heavy every step was. He tried to manage his breath, but always it came short.

Giving up, he closed his eyes and kept on walking.

...

"Who are you talking to, Jack?" Elsa inquired as she entered their bedroom.

"Your sister." Jack answered as he pulled away his phone.

Despite his effort, it seemed Anna heard Jack was talking to someone else and began squealing anew. "Is that Elsa? Let me talk to her! Let me, let me, let me!"

"Geez, alright, alright." Handing over his phone to Elsa, he pretended as if he was about to be deaf. Elsa chuckled and took phone from him.

"Someone's excited," Elsa said.

"SHOULDN'T YOU BE TOO?"

Elsa quickly pulled away the phone before Anna could burst her eardrums. Jack snickered. He lay down and rest his head upon her lap. Almost instantly, she began caressing his hair. The gesture so commonplace it was almost automatic.

"I think I'll start my panic attack at the actual wedding." Elsa felt Jack's gaze on her and she returned it with a raised eyebrow. When her man shook his head, she leaned down to kiss him.

It was one of them silent conversation where words were unnecessary. It was so natural that they thought nothing of it, but for once Jack did. He couldn't help but be amazed at how in sync they were. Five years of relationship had molded them into one perfect couple.

And he would not have it any other way.

…

She was waiting for him there — an irony he scoffed at. He should be the one waiting while the guests eyed the blushing bride passing with envy, joy, and amazement.

It makes no matter though. Who could stop the hands of fate? Even if his breath hitched and steps leaden, he would keep on walking. For her.

She deserved that much.

…

"Anyway, isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding? I thought you'll be staying at my house in the meantime."

Elsa's lips pursed and Jack stifled a snigger (which earned him a light slap upon his temple). She was becoming tired in explaining to everyone that it was a baseless superstitious that — facts dictated — had nothing to do with bad luck.

Jack reached up before she could burst into her explanation, taking the phone from her and caressed her cheek at the same time. "Your sister just can't stand being away from me for too long."

"Why you!" Elsa launched at him, trying to pinch his cheeks, but Jack had tossed away his phone and used both hands to defend himself. Of course his strength outmatched hers, but she was relentless. Jack guffawed at her futility and that seemed to spur her even more.

That was another special thing they shared. The infamous composure of the Ice Queen crumbled by his teasing and he took pride in that.

His arms were getting tired though, so with a maneuver equaled a martial artist, he pinned Elsa under his weight, locking her with one arm while reaching for his abandoned phone with the other.

"Oh, she hung up."

"Call her back! I will not let you have the final victor."

"I might as well do that. I haven't finished my sentence too." Locking his eyes with hers, he said, "I was gonna say 'and I can't be away from her too long as well'."

Elsa ceased her struggling and buried her face on his chest, as was expected. She was weak against such words and he found it adorable. Even at the time when he was still pursuing her, she would hide her shyness behind a mask of composure. She had become more honest in showing her emotions overtime and his heart swelled with love for each she showed him

Pushing himself up slightly, he kissed her deeply. She returned it without question. For awhile they both fought to deepened the kiss. When they paused for breath, they knew their passion was already ignited and they had reached a point of no return.

Jack dived in again and Elsa pulled herself up to meet him. Even as she did, her hands already were working on his cumbersome belt and his were reaching for the hem of her blouse.

They broke apart again, this time initiated by him. Elsa whimpered in protest, but it was cut short when his lips touch her neck and her whimper turned to a gasp followed by a moan. Jack began the torturous, sensuous trail down her jutting peaks. Elsa gave up all attempts with the belt and aimed for the far easier shirt.

Jack gladly slid out of his clothing, removing hers in the process. Not wasting a second, he began lavishly pampering her breasts, making her clutched the back of his head as small sounds of pleasure escape her lips.

That wasn't quite what he was looking for, so Jack continued downward where he knew her weakest point was. Her muscle grew taut at his touch and her moans hungrier. Just when his lips made contact with the skin just below her navel, Elsa screamed his name.

How he loved hearing it.

…

Did he sway? He wasn't quite sure but he thought he heard the crowd gasped and murmured. Jack decided to shrug it off. It made no matter. He just wanted to get the day over with.

His vision became blurry and he didn't know whether it was due to the pounding in his head or the tears that swelling up. Knowing it to be both, Jack blinked it back and shook his head.

Steeling himself, he walked on.

…

Jack opened his eyes and found the bed next to his empty. Searching the room, he found Elsa humming while getting dressed. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he made no move to tell her that he was up and continued watching her.

Elsa turned around while redoing her braid and show only mild surprise when she saw Jack sitting up. "You could have said something," she said.

"I don't want to interrupt you. My queen seems to be in a good mood. Is it because of me?" He grinned.

"How cheeky." Elsa leaned down and kissed his cheek, and Jack had to resist the urge to unravel her once more and wasted her time dressing up.

"Where are you going?"

"My parents'. It seems my mom wants to give me her 'something old'."

"Want me to drive you?"

"No need. I'll be quick. Or is the notorious playboy Jack Frost can't bear being away from me even just a sec?"

"You're goddamned right." Jack pulled her to his embrace, "but you do me injustice, my queen. I haven't been a playboy since I met you."

"Hmm… I guess it's true."

Elsa tilted her head up and Jack landed a peck on her lips. "Better go quick before baby Jack woke up. You won't be going anytime soon, then. On second thought, I think he's waking up now. Ouch!"

Elsa pinched his stomach before he could do anything and escaped from his slackened hold. "Don't be naughty, Jack. You know soon you'll have me forever until you regret asking me to marry you."

"Never," he said with sincerity in his voice and eyes, causing her to blush.

"I'll be going then. See you later."

"Elsa."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too."

…

He made it. Somehow he did. He turned facing the crowd, but could only see blurred visages. Jack saw Anna and his own sister, Katherine. Both seemed to be trying to give him strength from where they sat. A noble act, he thought, when they themselves grieved with him.

To the right were their parents: Adgar and Idun, Nicholas and Claire. The mothers were crying. The fathers were looking at him with pity. The scene would be like this should it be a wedding, and their expressions complete contraries of what they showed now. Oh, the irony. What a cruel, cruel joke the universe was playing.

He looked ahead and began to speak

…

It was odd.

Elsa never returned late. She always had a strict curfew of nine at night for herself. If she was returning late, she would at least call him. Her phone battery would never run out either. She always carried a portable charger with her, and made sure both was at full charge every morning. Not that he didn't try to call, but every time he did, it was unanswered or went to voicemail directly. Another peculiar thing. Elsa would at least sneak a text if she was too busy.

He was about to make another call when the doorbell rang. He wondered if she had forgotten her key, but knew it wasn't the case. Elsa never forgot her keys. Then who would visit this late?

Jack opened the door and found his best friends, Kristoff and Edmund standing at the other side. Their faces were etched grimly and they seemed to look at him with pity. With a raised eyebrow, he admitted them in.

"What's up? Pretty late for a visit."

"Jack, you have to come with us," said Kristoff.

"Where?"

"The hospital. We'll explain on the way."

Jack followed them, curious and confused. Edmund drove in silence while Kristoff tried to explain the situation. Everything he said sounded foreign to him though. For a moment he thought they were pranking him or playing a cruel trick, but the expression on Kristoff's face and the glance of sympathy Edmund threw him from the rearview mirror told him otherwise.

At the hospital, they led him. They walked with surety and didn't stop to ask for direction. Jack felt as if he was spirited away. His limbs were moving, but his mind was elsewhere. He waited for them to turn around and laughed at him for falling to their trick. They never did.

A darkened alley seemed to be their final destination. There, his family and friends were there. Edmund's wife, Thiana, Katherine and Anna rushed to meet him and hugged him. They murmured words of condolences, words of comfort, but all was unheard by him. When they let him go, he could see they had been crying. Odd, he thought, was there something to cry about.

Merida, another friend, squeezed his shoulder; her face was one of sympathy. Rapunzel was still crying with her boyfriend, Eugene at her side, consoling her. He glanced at him with pity before returning his focus on his girlfriend.

Stranger still was his parents. They looked despaired as they enveloped Jack in their embrace, then they ushered him inside a room. Adgar and Idun was there. Idun hugged him, saying she was sorry repeatedly, while Adgar caressed her shoulder saying it wasn't her fault. Jack didn't deign the two of them even a glance. His gaze was stuck with the lying figure on the bed.

"What happened? Why is she sleeping?" he asked.

The four look appalled. "Jack…she…" his mother tried to stay.

"THAT'S A LIE!" he shouted before he even realized it. His outburst made them flinched, but he paid them no mind. He approached the bed, his every step quivering.

He took her hand. It was cold and stiff. And there was no pulse. Her skin, otherwise flawless, was marred with black and blue bruises. Cuts adorned her body like crude engravings. And she wasn't breathing.

"No…" his voice barely a whisper, "please no…"

Then he saw a tear fell from her eye and trailed down her cheek. He felt a glimmer hope before realizing it was his own tears, falling freely like waterfall. He fell then, his knees no longer able to bear his weight, and let out a heart-wrenching wail.

…

The words were caught in his throat in a net of sorrow and despair and anger. They were all waiting for him, waiting for him to share his fondest memories of Elsa, of her last words, of the joys having her living and readiness to let her go. They were respectfully and patiently silent, offering their support through their gazes.

He wanted none of it.

"I'm supposed to speak of her. Of how kind she was. How benevolent and gracious, but I won't. You all know that. And if there're few who don't then I pity you. You missed out knowing the single most remarkable woman in the world. No, I want to talk about myself.

"Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. The woman I've loved the past six years was gonna be my wife. All of you should've gathered here to celebrate a happy occasion. But, no. All was stripped away from me. I was sad, of course, none cried harder than me and I'm not ashamed admitting that. Now, I only feel anger and amusement.

"Do you know that I was the last among her closest kin and friends a to know of her passing? Me, the fiancé, didn't know until my best friend and the boyfriend of her sister came in the middle of the night. Edmund who — no offense, mate — would never knew Elsa if it wasn't for me _knew_ first before I did." He smiled a smile of half madness and half sorrow, and it was so painful to behold.

"Do you know that I offered to drive her to her parents' house? If I knew this would happen, I would've insisted. Better death than spending the rest of my life without her." Jack stepped to where her coffin was. There she lay, dressed in her best black dress. Her face was as serene as a dead could be. He knew his voice probably wouldn't be heard throughout the cathedral hall without a microphone, but he spoke anyway. "Black never suited her. She was supposed to be wearing her pale blue wedding dress. A pretty thing that one. She picked it herself. She wouldn't admit it, but she fell in love with it. I often caught her trying on her dress and blushing as a bride should."

He brought her stiff hand to his lips. "I'm supposed to let her go. To say that she's in a better place now, but how could I? When she hasn't tasted the best life could offer. She hasn't borne her children, hasn't watch them grow, sent them to college. Hasn't gotten her grandchildren. I was supposed to giver her all that. Her life was just beginning and God decided that it was good enough. Well, I'm having none of it.

"If she's not coming back to me, then I'm coming to her."

And before anyone could move or comprehend his course of action, before anyone could stop him, Jack ran through the stained glass window of the cathedral. The glass shattered all too easily by the impact and soon Jack was at the other side, falling freely to his coming demise. The cathedral seemed to grow taller then and the ground never met him. He closed his eyes, waiting.

And woke up with a start.

Jack panted heavily, trembling. Sweat trickled down his bare chest and his vision was blurry. Nightmares he often had, but this one was the worst he had in awhile. He searched his surrounding and found he was on his bed, just like he was supposed to. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Jack? Are you alright?" Elsa mumbled beside him, touching his hand with those delicate fingers of hers.

He turned toward her and enveloped her in his embrace. Kissing her forehead, he said, "I'm fine. Just a nightmare."

"Since you're awake now, mind giving me a hand? I've been holding it for awhile now," she asked sheepishly.

Jack snorted. "What are you being so shy about? It's not like this is your first time."

Jack scooted out of the bed and went to her side. He placed his hand behind her shoulder and the back of her knees, and lifted her from the bed. Elsa wreathed her arms around his neck and pressed closer to him as the cold night air touched her naked skin. The cover fell from her and revealed her legs, to which he frowned at the sight.

Elsa saw this and caressed his jaw. "It's not anyone's fault, Jack."

Jack nodded, but still he couldn't tear his gaze away from them. They looked so frail now, years of unused left them with skin and bones. She never liked showing them to him, knowing the kind of feelings it would cause him.

"Jack…"

"I know, Els. Nothing anyone could do. No one can stop the hands of fate."

"All that matters is I'm alive. It could be worse."

"Yes, yes it could." He hugged her close, feeling her warmth on his skin. "Well, let's get you relieved shall we?"

"About time."

* * *

 **Yes, I'm a horrible human being who deserved to be stoned to death. Sorry for playing with your feelings like that, or if you found it just...meh...well... Sorry about that.  
**

 **I know I'm supposed to be continuing The Shepherd Knight, but life's just got busier and I barely got time to write. I even wrote this story in a week and it's so short too. So, for those who have been following TSK, please accept this short story as a compensation for the very late update of TSK.**


End file.
